Fresh tension in Manipur; village chiefs among 10 assaulted by militants

Imphal, April 5 (IANS) Fresh tension broke out between two tribal communities in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Saturday after at least 10 people, including two key village leaders, were allegedly assaulted by suspected Kuki militants over a land dispute, officials said.

The 10 injured people, including two village chiefs, belonged to the Naga community.

A police official in Imphal said that the incident took place on Saturday afternoon at Konsakhul village when a mob of approximately 200 people accompanied by armed Kuki militants came to the village and assaulted at least 10 residents, including two village chiefs. The local people told the security personnel that the militants, allegedly belonging to the Kuki community, were from neighbouring Haraothel village of the same district.

The two village chiefs -- Aimson Abonmai (65) and D. Adam (40), who sustained serious injuries along with eight other injured villagers, are now being treated in different hospitals. Doctors said that the two village chiefs were out of danger.

Meanwhile, the Rongmei Naga Council has strongly condemned the attack.

The police official said that additional security forces have been sent to the hill village to control the situation. The unprovoked violence has reignited tensions between communities in the region, particularly as it follows a previous incident that had already strained inter-ethnic relations.

On January 7, a tribal woman working on her farmland in Konsakhul was reportedly assaulted by armed Kuki militants, who also destroyed her mobile phone. The incident triggered widespread outrage among the Liangmai tribal people and led to increased unease in the surrounding areas.

Two days later, on January 9, fresh unrest broke out in Konsakhul and adjoining villages, with Liangmai tribal community members protesting against the repeated targeting of civilians and the perceived inaction of the authorities.

The latest attack has only deepened fears that the ground situation is rapidly deteriorating, despite peace-building efforts initiated by the Centre.

Saturday’s incident took place at a time when the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the representatives of Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities held a tripartite meeting in New Delhi to resolve the 23-month-long ethnic hostilities in Manipur.

--IANS

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